[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5359-5360]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST-4 HENRY L. WOODS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 23, 2012

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Veterans of Foreign 
Wars Chowchilla Post 9896 Life Member U.S. Army Specialist-4 Henry L. 
Woods. Specialist Woods served the United States of America honorably 
with the 20th Combat Engineers and 101st Airborne in the Vietnam war 
siege of Phu Nhon.
  Specialist Woods was born in Elgin, Oklahoma, in 1944. His family 
subsequently moved to California and settled in the Plainsburg area, 
later settling in Dos Palos. Specialist Woods graduated from Dos Palos 
High School in 1963. He worked in the maintenance department of 
Chowchilla High School and in agriculture until he enlisted in the U.S. 
Army in 1969.
  Specialist Woods, or ``Woody'' as he was called by his fellow 
soldiers, completed basic training at Fort Ord, where he qualified as a 
sharpshooter with the M-14 rifle. He was assigned to duty with the 
984th Military Police Company at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was later 
transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington, for pre-deployment training for 
service in Vietnam. In December 1969, he arrived in Saigon and joined 
the 1st Cavalry in the Central Highlands and assigned to Company D of 
the 20th Combat Engineers near Qui Nhon. The unit provided security 
called QL 14-South that saw heavy enemy action and was often referred 
to as ``Massacre Highway.'' During this assignment, the unit was part 
of a major assault at LZ Black Hawk in the Central Highlands in which 
Specialist Woods was injured in hand-to-hand combat. He was treated for 
facial and head injuries before returning to duty.
  In early 1971, while serving temporary duty with the 101st Airborne, 
Specialist Woods was a door gunner on a helicopter gunship. During this 
time, North Vietnamese Army Troops began targeting the U.S. Army base 
at Phu Nhon, commonly known as ``LZ Lonely.'' On March 15, 1971, a 
North Vietnamese force attacked the base, quickly overrunning South 
Vietnamese soldiers. Specialist Woods served as part of a reinforcement 
group to repel the attack. During the battle, he acted as a door gunner 
on a gunship, delivering M-60 machinegun fire to enemy forces. While 
making a pass over enemy positions, the co-pilot and second door gunner 
were killed. Back on the ground, Specialist Woods joined ground troops 
in delivering upon the enemy, twice transporting wounded soldiers to 
medical help under heavy fire. During the fight, Specialist Woods 
sustained a gunshot wound to his head and was med-evaced to an aid 
station.
  During treatment for his second wound, Specialist Woods exhibited 
symptoms that later would be attributed to exposure to herbicide Agent 
Orange. He struggles with the symptoms of Agent Orange exposure to this 
day. After recuperating from his wounds, he was sent to Fort Ord where 
he completed active service before being discharged.
  For his service in the U.S. Army, Specialist Woods received the 
National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service 
Medal with Bronze Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, two Purple 
Hearts, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Army Aircrew Badge, and 
Sharpshooter Badge with Auto Rifle BAR, and the Sharpshooter Pistol 
Badge. On Veteran's Day 2003, he was honored in a special ceremony by 
Congressman George Radanovich in which he received the medals for his 
service.
  Specialist Woods returned to the Chowchilla area where he worked in 
agriculture for several years. He attended Merced College on the G.I. 
Bill where he earned an Associate of Arts and an Associate of Science 
Degree in Plant Science and Mechanized Agriculture. Specialist Woods 
has four children: Debbie,

[[Page 5360]]

Chuck, Erin, and Matt. He is the proud grandfather of seven. He now 
resides near Helena, Montana.
  Specialist Woods is a Life Member of Chowchilla VFW Post 9896, the 
American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the 
Disabled American Veterans. He attends St. John's Lutheran Church in 
Helena.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring Specialist Henry L. Woods for 
his honorable service to our great country, and wishing him the best of 
luck and health in his future endeavors.

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